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Sunday, August 13, 2017

Recently I downloaded all the pictures from my phone to my computer and I realized that my husband Ron has been a super good sport about dressing up in costumes with me. He professes that he doesn't like costumes, but If he is going to dress, he is going all the way.

So I have gathered a few of the costumes he has worn in the last two years.

Here of course is our 1740-1760 couples costumes.

I made him an American coat circa 1770-1780. He has yet to wear it in a full costume. It is made from cotton flannel (wool is too expenxsive and hot). It was part of an Ichabod Crane from Sleepy Hollow the TV series costume.

I had nothing to do with this one. He dressed up with a fellow teacher to be Tweedledee and Tweedledum for the Mother's Day Tinkerbell 10K marathon. He ran in that, hat and all.

This one was totally on him as well. Our high school has been having a special finals week the last two Decembers. The kids study and take finals. Teachers grade everything and dress silly. this was Christmas movie day. He wanted to be Cousin Eddy from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Nailed it!

His first marathon was Labor day weekend in Disneyland. Our daughter and her husband and two friends dressed as Matterhorn bobsledders. And Ron was the Yeti. And they ran 13.1 miles in those outfits.

We have been on two Disney Cruise Line cruises. They have a pirate night midweek on every cruise. So because I love pirates, we had to dress up the whole way.

This was our second year.

This was the first.

He gets asked to be the pastor at the school's baccalaureate. He uses an example from modern media to help show his points to the students. Here he is using the three challenges to Indiana Jones in The Last Crusade. So he had to buy the hat and dress the part.

Another Halloween: I was steampunk Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog. He was zombified.

For the previous Halloween, Bert and Mary Poppins

Thank you for taking this little costume journey with me. I love making and wearing them and I hope you can find a little inspiration.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Ok, so I realize there is a jumble of two different pairs of shoes. I wanted to show how Ron and I covered our shoes to match our Gala Ball costumes. This is not a tutorial!

Ron used a pair of shoes from his closet that were no longer in conditional to be worn to work. I bought my shoes for $2 at a thrift store in town. I was looking for a specific style and height of heel that resembles 18th century women's shoes. These fit the parameters.

We used scraps of fabric from the costume construction itself.

I removed the leather bows from the top of these black shoes.

We used a hot melt glue gun to attach the fabric at the sole line. Then we had to fold the fabric over into the inside of the shoes. Several pleats had to be made to fix it all smoothly.

We covered a separate flap to the front to hide all the pleats. His shoes got silver buckles.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

A new friend did my hair and Ron and I helped each other dress. I completely understand why women and me had a maid or valet to get them dressed!

These were taken against a properly set up photo booth. There was also an official photographer. I haven't see those pictures yet.

Yes, those are frilly salmon colored ribbons on my stomacher. I did not get an embroidered stomacher even started, much less finished.

We each "made" our own shoes. We glued fabric onto shoes that had about the right type of heel.

And here we are together.

Waiting to walk the red carpet. They actually had a huge line of costumed party goers. And a red carpet. Chairs were set up on either side of it and those who wanted to watch and take pictures had started sitting there for 3 hours beforehand! It was fun to take out turn and then pause, pose and turn.

I hope you enjoyed these photos. We had so much fun and can't wait for next year. We are already plotting our next epic costumes.

Originally my husband wanted to wear a coat like the Beast wears in the outdoor snow scene of the live action Beauty and the Beast. I searched many days online trying to find fabric that would look good in blue. Couldn't find any. I finally found a large paisley in gold and silver and he loved it. I ordered 10 yards. It is a medium weight drapery fabric. It cut and sewed very well. And then I had to decide on a pattern.

After much consideration as to exactly how I wanted Ron's costume to look, I finally decided to go ahead and use the Simplicity Pirate Pattern 4923. It is about the correct time period and the coat has the proper pleats in the back while the vest and breaches were ones I had previously used for his pirate costume.

It took some effort to get all the coat pieces on properly. I could only cut one at a time!

An in progress shot of the coat.

The back showing the pleats before they were pressed.

This is a close up of the fabric and the trim and buttons. The trim we purchased at Joann's. I hand stiched all six yards to the jacket and vest. We purchased the buttons on eBay, a total of 50, though not all were used.

These are the only photos of the making of this costume. I guess I was so busy making that I forgot to take pictures.

I used his pirate shirt from the previous year and altered it slightly. I tucked and tacked the ruffled cuffs back and hand-stitched two rows of lace to each one. Then I tacked down the collar and half way up the front opening. I hand-stitched four rows of gathered lace up and down the front. This gave the costume that really fancy look we wanted.

Thanks for checking out my costumes. Finished costumes in the next post!

I had started this costume in early May but didn't get any real sewing time on it until after school was out. Then we had 8 glorious weeks off and I really started to sew. And lie in the sun and take one small trip to Disneyland. I did not take a lot of pictures of the process.

I did want to share that I used American Duchesses "hacks" of the Simplicity pattern she had created of the Outlander ensemble. They can be found here.

I followed the pattern instructions and did a complete lining of the bodice. I also put the boning in the back and in the front edges. The back I also redrafted to have shoulder seams and curved fitted pieces more like actual 18th Century work.

Most of the sewing was done on a sewing machine. However, I wanted the outer dress to have more of a hand-stitched look. I attached the pleated skirt by hand and gathered and applied all the self trim by hand. It takes time but gives a little more authentic flair.

Originally I was going with the cuffed look with engageantes underneath. But as I began my husbands costume I realized that the cuffed look was a bit earlier in time than his fancy duds. I decided to make self-trimmed cuffs with lace underneath.

The cutting picture shows the chalked outline of the ruffled cuffs. These are cut out with pinking shears and not hemmed at all. I hand stitched both the green cuffs and the lace to the sleeves by hand. I can then remove them and make the costume wearable for a different look and time period in the future.

The original stays I made for under this costume had to be made again, only with a longer waist. By adding and inch I was able to have the stays give the right cleavage at the top and support the skirts and petticoat. I made them out of white dupioni silk.

I was very happy with how the costume came out, in the end. It was fun to wear and to see and be seen at the Costume College Gala Ball. But you will have to wait for another post for the final results!

Saturday, February 25, 2017

It seems that New Year's Resolutions seldom get accomplished. The idea people of been bandying about this year is to use the word "Intentions". Intentions are things you will try to do whereas resolutions are finite. I will do them. I always feel guilty when life takes a sudden turn and I can no longer accomplish my resolution

Oops! Definitely got sidetracked here. I started writing this post on January 2nd. And then got an infection and the antibiotic the doctor prescribed knocked me out of commission for a week. Ant then school started back up and going to teacher's college at night has sucked all of my time away.

I decided last year to change my status from substitute English teacher to fully credentialed Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. (home economics) In the fall I had two life Management classes (family and childcare, consumer issues, interior design, sewing, and cooking.) This spring I have Fashion and Design I and Culinary Arts I. It takes a lot of time to Plan lessons and class samples, and shop for food. And I have big assessments to do to satisfy the State of California's criteria to be a teacher. I'm exhausted!

Any way. Intentions for costume sewing for the year: I am lucky enough to get to go to Costume College this July! And my husband was so awesome to volunteer to go to the Gala Ball with me.

So...........I need to make us fabulous outfits. I want to do a 1740s costume using Simplicity 8161 and 8162 patterns for the Outlander costumes by Terry Dresbach and created for the home sewist by American Duchess. I have the fabric, massive silk blend curtains that we had in our flat in Beirut. So, I have already made the stays and bum pad, but the stays are too short-waisted so I need to modify the pattern and try again. Chemise, dress, stockings, shoes, etc.

My husband will have a coat, waistcoat, breeches, and boots. Lots of pieces to sew. But we can't do them during spring break as we started a bathroom mini-remodel and have not finished. So much to do!!

Well, no pictures today, which is sad, because I love blogs heavy on pictures and light on words.

Friday, July 15, 2016

I am slowly working along with Lauren, The American Duchess, to create my own Outlander Ensemble. I am about halfway through reading the Outlander book. I have not seen the show yet but I am hooked on the first book. And on Terry Dresbach's blog. She is the costume designer.

This is the pattern designed by American Duchess in coordination with Simplicity Patterns.

Here is one side of the stays with the top binding pinned on, but not the bottom binding.

Here I am in the stays. I am long-waisted so these stays are actually too short on me. I will have to do some fiddling with the pattern and lengthen the waist about an inch and a half. Meanwhile I am moving on with the other pieces. I have made the bum pad. next I will make the Chemise. I wasn't going to make a new chemise as this one is perfectly acceptable.

But the Outlander pattern has longer sleeves with ruffles plus the neck ruffles. So Ruffles there will be!

Here is both sides, bound. This is the inside. I have not put a lining in yet. I'm thinking that may never happen.

Look how good my waist looks here! Oh wait, not me.

I hope you enjoyed my progress on the Outlander Ensemble. Lots to do before I will be done with the next pieces. School starts August 1 and I will be busy getting my classroom in order. I will be teaching Family and Consumer Sciences as a full time regular teacher. I am excited to finally be a full time teacher. But I am taking a bunch of classes as well. less time for sewing my own things.